Sudan journalists’ syndicate reports 31 killed, over 550 violations in two-year war
May 3, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Journalists Syndicate said on Saturday it had recorded 556 violations against media workers, including the killing of 31 journalists, since the country’s conflict erupted two years ago.
The report was released on May 3, coinciding with World Press Freedom Day, which highlights journalism’s role in exposing violations and supporting human rights.
The syndicate said in a statement it had documented the deaths of 31 journalists and media workers “in incidents of assassination and direct shelling” during the two years.
It also reported the arrest and detention of at least 239 journalists, while dozens more faced beatings, abuse, harassment and threats, contributing to the total of 556 violations recorded.
Warring parties impose significant movement restrictions on Sudanese journalists, many of whom have lost jobs and been displaced but continue working to expose wartime violations, the syndicate’s statement noted.
The war has led to a collapse of the work environment for journalists, the syndicate said. More than 1,000 journalists are jobless, many formerly employed by state media. Some receive only one-third of their salary, while others were forced into retirement without settlement payments.
More than 500 journalists have fled Sudan and face legal restrictions and other pressures in exile, it added.
The syndicate called for an end to the targeting of journalists, accountability for perpetrators of violations, and a restructuring of the media environment to ensure independence from “tools of polarization and mobilization.”
It urged that the legal and professional status of journalists affected by the war be resolved, particularly for those arbitrarily dismissed or forced to retire. The syndicate also called on the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and host countries to protect and support journalists in exile.
“Press freedom in Sudan has never been a gift; it has been the fruit of a long struggle, and so it shall remain,” the statement concluded.